5 Reasons We Loved Bettie Page

On Thursday, December 11, one of the most revered images of the 1950s passed. Bettie Page is probably one of the most recognizable images, besides Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley, and to be honest, I always like Bettie Page more than Marilyn Monroe. Bettie had such an irreverent, innocent nature, that her cheesecake and S&M pictures could never take away the sweetness that exuded from this leather clad, girl next door. It’s this very dichotomy – sweet and seductive, innocent and naughty – that makes her such a beloved icon amongst men and women. We all wish, and so do our male counterparts, we could embody the good girl in public-bad girl behind closed doors (or on film) persona.

1. Her look
Any rockabilly girl worth her salt has had the Bettie Bangs at some point. We grow them out, but we always come right back. A raven colored haircut fit for a young girl, meets red lips, and a pretty smile — it’s part of the retro uniform.

2. Her humbleness
After being institutionalized at Patton State Hospital in San Bernardino, she could not believe how popular she had become. She couldn’t understand how modeling 10 years prior could have made her so famous. She had no idea.

3. Her figure
Bettie Page was curvy, soft, natural. The way women should be. [Editor’s Note: I meant not overly skinny. Women look good with some healthy meat on their bones!]

4. Her costumes
No one wore cheetah prints the way Ms. Page did. She had fun acting and dressing the part in a sensual but tasteful way. She was a jungle girl, a dominatrix, and a beach babe all rolled into one.

5. Her ability to leave it all behind
After being sexually abused, mistreated, divorced, and being committed, she dedicated her life to her faith. She left all the glitz and glamor behind for what she felt would be a better life.

“The way women should be” is an offensive, discriminatory comment. It discriminates against woman with different figures, skinnier or harsher or more shapeless [etc.] for the sake of a shallow opinion.

i think momo needs to relax. bette just had a healthy figure, not one that requires a 500cal/day diet like most models have today, not to mention all the surgeries.
nice post s, i knew you would do a great bettie tribute!